Cheetah ESCAPES from enclosure putting Brit zoo on lockdown

Cheetah ESCAPES from enclosure putting Brit zoo on lockdown

The world's fastest land animal made a break for freedom last night forcing guests to hide in fear in shops and toilets.

After escaping the enclosure the two-year-old, called Kitwana, roamed around for nearly 30 minutes until it was enticed back to its area with food.

Visitors to the Port Lympne Reserve in Kent were ushered into "safe areas" while the park was evacuated.

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SCARE: Guests hid in toilets and shops after the cheetah escaped its enclosure

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Animal director Adrian Harland said the cheetah was "calm and pacing the enclosure fence, looking to get back in" and there was "no real threat".

He added: "The cheetah was calm and pacing the enclosure fence looking to get back in.

"Some food was thrown into the enclosure and the cheetah walked back in to get it.

“Some food was thrown into the enclosure and the cheetah walked back in to get it”

Adrian Harland

"No vet intervention was needed.

"The full escape procedure was run because the safari lorries travel past the enclosure.

"This particular cheetah was no real threat to our guests. He only climbed out to get back with his mother after having been separated to stop him eating all her dinner.

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ESCAPE: The Port Lympne Reserve is home to a range of different animals

"We have secured the enclosures perimeter fencing to ensure that the cheetah cannot climb out again."

Visitor Alice Snape took to Twitter to say her group had hidden in a toilet during the incident.

There were also other reports on social media that visitors were placed in the tapir enclosure and the park's gift shop.